


Another Time

by Imukai (orphan_account)



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, One-Sided Attraction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 14:30:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16662655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Imukai
Summary: They were younger then. Corrin a determined beginner.And now, standing before him in fierce sorrow... Already, Xander could tell that he had learned much more.The room, and the great hall beyond it, was meant only for them; a fight to end this, one way or another.





	Another Time

They were standing five feet apart from each other, wooden swords held steady at their sides.

Corrin, his red eyes flashing in focused determination. Xander, composed and head angled just a little upwards, ready for any strike Corrin may attempt.

But instead, as he'd instructed him to in prior training sessions, he circled him, aiming for his sides in a sudden forward thrust of the blade. Sidestepping easily, Xander deflected the blade and quickly countered with a strike of his own, hitting Corrin's shoulder before he could move away.

Narrowing his eyes in a wince, Corrin twirled back away again, feinting to the left before striking to the right. It was swift enough that it managed to glance off of Xander's armour, but that was all. And again, Xander retaliated - just as Corrin ducked underneath, striking out at the chinks in his armour.

"Good, Corrin, you're learning," Xander said with a light dip of his head. "Now, again."

Lunging at him, they started the session anew, hours passing under each new interval. And then, Xander halted, regarding Corrin as he leaned forwards, gasping for air. "Enough. We will stop here, for now."

For a moment, it looked as if Corrin wanted to argue, but then he straightened with a huff of a breath, nodding his assent. "Alright... Can we pick this up again tomorrow?"

Gently, Xander smiled. "Yes, tomorrow, we will begin anew. You are learning, Corrin, but you still have a way to go."

"So you keep telling me." But there's an amused look in his eyes as he passes back the training blade.

* * *

They were younger then. Corrin a determined beginner.

And now, standing before him in fierce sorrow... Already, Xander could tell that he had learned much more.

The room, and the great hall beyond it, was meant only for them; a fight to end this, one way or another.

But instead of facing him from the saddle of his horse, he instead faced him as an equal. A protector of the King against his supposed brother, now sworn enemy of Nohr and their father.

Elise's pleas rang loudly, desperately. But he stepped back, sword still held ready and waiting. "Is that child's logic how you swayed Camilla and Leo?" His gaze fell back on Corrin. "I'm afraid it won't work on me."

Corrin's stance changed, faltering one moment, then steady again.

"As the Crown Prince of Nohr, I don't have the luxury of being so naive." They had no way out of this, neither one of them. This was inevitable. "There is nothing you can say that will dissuade me from protecting Father and Nohr."

Corrin again seemed hesitant. But he could see right through why. He'd grown since he had seen him last, strong in confidence but still so weak in his emotions.

"Understood, Brother." Even to his ears, it sounded raspy, weary under the weight of all of this.

Xander too felt the burdens of it all, a heavy weight to bear within his heart.

In the great hall, they commenced; Corrin now the first to make his move as Xander waited for it, deflecting the blow much as he had so long ago when they were not true blades but almost harmlessly wooden.

Ducking and weaving, lunging, striking and parrying... Even as skilled as Corrin had become, Xander still had the upper-hand. His strength and knowledge in the arts of the sword, greater than Corrin's own mastery.

Soon, he'd pushed him back into a corner and Corrin grit his teeth, his blade shaking in his grasp. There was a moment in which Xander hesitated - and Corrin took it, lunging at him, managing just to swipe at his side and past him in a pivoted movement.

Gasping, Xander dropped back, Elise's cry ringing in his ears, before he rushed at Corrin, their blades meeting in a shriek of metal.

Corrin stumbled back and as Xander swung, a staccato of footsteps accompanied it. Corrin half-turned towards the source and - Elise choked on a sob, rushing towards Xander, just as the blade hit home.

It bit not through his sister, but the opening in Corrin's damaged armour.

In a hitched breath, he collapsed to his knees, blood pouring out from his stomach.

"Corrin!" screamed Elise, dropping down beside him, brandishing her staff so immediately that it was almost but a blur.

There were other voices joining the reverberation of his sister's own, but they were disjointed to his ears, a mix of rising anger, horror, panic.

He couldn't remember when he lost hold of his blade. Or when he too collapsed beside Corrin, seeing those pained red eyes focus on his own.

"I can't..." Elise sobbed. "I can't heal him."

He'd meant for this.

Prepared himself for this moment, where either one of them fell.

But seeing him like this...

The ache in his heart grew too much. Shattering into so many pieces as Corrin, somehow, had it still in him to smile wearily up at him.

"Why...?" Xander found himself saying. Then cut himself off, trying, shakily, to stand and compose himself in the face of this. But his legs weren't working, keeping him grounded, close to Corrin, to the blood pooling across the floor.

"We knew... that this would happen," Corrin said. "That it would..."

"There was no other way, little prince," Xander hoarsely said, hand reaching out, hovering in the air before Corrin's hand.

In the distance, he could hear the clash of shield and sword, of a bow being drawn. The Hoshidans and Nohrians clashing, a struggle as they proceeded to fight their way towards them.

"I wish... things could have been different." Corrin's hand twitched and Elise reached forward, grabbing desperately at his arm.

Xander was shaking, his vision obscured by his unshed tears. He brushed Corrin's hair away from his face, but the light had already left his eyes.


End file.
